as to the growth of trees, Dr
King replied by a comparison "with the magnificent trees round
Kensington Park in London." He described a farm near Cumberland House
under very successful cultivation--"luxuriant wheat"--potatoes, barley,
pigs, cows and horses.

SASKATCHEWAN, ASSINEBOIN, AND RED RIVER DISTRICT.

The area of this continent, north-west of Minnesota, and known as the
Saskatchewan district, is estimated by English authorities to comprise
368,000 square miles. North-west from Otter Tail Lake, the geographical
centre of Minnesota, extends a vast silurian formation, bounded on the
west along the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains by coal measures.
Such a predominance of limestone implies fertility of soil, as in the
north-western States, and the speedy colonisation of Saskatchewan would
be assured if the current objection to the severity of climate was
removed. On this point a few facts will be presented.

The Sea of Azof, which empties into the Black Sea, forming the eastern
border of the Crimean peninsula, freezes about the beginning of
November, and is seldom open before the beginning of April. A point
less than one hundred miles north, but far down in southern Russia,
namely, Catherineoslay, has been found, from the observation of many
years, to be identical in summer and winter climate with Fort Spelling.
Nine-tenths of European Russia, therefore, the main seat of population
and resources, is further north than Saint Paul. In fact, Pembina is
the climatic equivalent of Moscow, and for that of Saint Petersburg,
(which is 60 degrees north), we may reasonably go to latitude 55 degrees
on the American continent.

Like European Russia, also, the Saskatchewan district has a climate of
extremes--the thermometer having a wide range; but it is well understood
that the growth of the cereals and of the most useful vegetables depends
chiefly on the intensity and duration of the summer heats, and is
comparatively little influenced by the severity of winter cold, or the
lowness of the mean temperature during the year. Therefore it is
important to observe that the northern shore of Lake Huron has the mean
summer heat of Bordeaux, in southern France, or 70 degrees Fahrenheit;
while Cumberland House, in latitude 54 degrees, longitude 102 degrees,
on the Saskatchewan, exceeds in this respect Brussels and Paris.

The United States Army Meteorological Register has ascertained that the
line of 70 degrees mean summer